For more information, contact Jorma Duran at 573- 751-9257 or Greg Wood at 573-751-7716 or Community Relations at 573-751-2840.

March 19, 2010 12:00 AM

MoDOT Gearing Up to Sell More Excess Property

JEFFERSON CITY - Thirty-two pieces of prime real estate throughout the state will go on the auction block April 26-30 when the Missouri Department of Transportation holds its second Realty to Roads property blitz.

A similar effort to sell excess property last November netted more than $675,000 for road and bridge projects. Because that sale was so successful, the transportation department is looking to move another 32 pieces of property off of its inventory and put the money toward road and bridge projects. The parcels range in size from a quarter of an acre to 200 acres.

"This is property we no longer need to build, improve or maintain the state highway system," said Gregory Wood, Realty to Roads Project Director in MoDOT's Right of Way Division. "Selling our excess right of way not only brings in extra money for highway projects, but it saves us maintenance costs and puts the property back on the tax rolls to the advantage of local communities."

Wood said interested buyers may be looking to add to an abutting property they already own or to independently develop the land. In this particular offering, there are several properties that house wetlands and ponds. While wetland properties are protected by law from being developed, they could provide the perfect setting for someone wanting to hunt the land or preserve it for environmental purposes.

MoDOT's district offices will handle the property sales for the land in their respective regions. Some of the inventory will be conveyed by sealed bid, while other properties will be sold at public auction.

Additional information about the property for sale can be found on MoDOT's Web site, www.modot.org/realtyforsale.